The present invention pertains to a panel that is covers an opening, and more particularly to a load bearing panel for an aircraft that quickly attaches to and is released from aircraft structure surrounding the opening.
There is often a need to have a panel for covering an opening such that the panel can be quickly fastened to and removed from structure surrounding the opening. In addition, there is sometimes a need for the panel to be able to support and transmit loads from the structure.
In the past, removable load bearing panels have been attached to the surrounding structure by numerous removable fasteners that have had several drawbacks. First, it was time consuming to individually attach and remove each fastener when it was necessary to remove or install the panel. In addition, the fasteners typically had a limited life based upon the number of times the panels were removed or installed. Once the fasteners exceeded their useful life, they had to be replaced. Also, during the installation and removal process, the fasteners tended to become lost or misplaced, resulting in additional expense.
In addition, previous removable load bearing panels had to be precisely interlocked to the surrounding structure to ensure the structural loads were properly transferred through the panels. Because of this precision requirement, it was very difficult for these panels to be interchanged with like panels on the same aircraft or with like panels on other aircraft of the same model.
Another approach to this problem has been to eliminate the requirement for the panels to be load bearing. However, this has required that the structure around the opening be strengthened considerably so that the structural loads were routed around the opening rather than through the panel. This strengthening of the structure around the opening resulted in a significant increase in weight to the structure and resulted in additional expense.
A number of locking and fastening mechanisms have been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,153 by LaConte, the inventor of the present invention, pertains to a quick fastening and release system for securing commercial aircraft fixtures such as seats, lavatories and bulkheads, to the cabin floor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,548 by Behrens et al pertains to a door that is sealed closed by four locking elements that are actuated by rotation of a control plate. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,192 by Harshbarger et al pertains to a door that is locked in a closed position by a system of bolts that are simultaneously operated by a handle.
None of the aforementioned devices, however, provide the unique combination of features of the present invention. Accordingly, there is a need for a panel that can be quickly attached and removed from a structure, and that has the ability to transmit loads from the structure.
The present invention pertains to apparatus for connecting a cover having a first edge portion and a second edge portion to a structure having an opening. The apparatus includes first and second connectors that are movable between fastened positions where the cover first and second edge portions are fastened to edges of the structural opening, and unfastened positions where the cover first and second edge portions are not fastened to the edges of the structural opening. In addition, there is an actuator that is accessible through an opening in the cover so that the actuator may be moved between a fastened position and an unfastened position. An actuator arm is connected between the actuator and the first connector and the second connector such that movement of the actuator between the fastened position and the unfastened position causes the actuator arm to move the first connector and the second connector together between their respective fastened positions so as to fasten the cover over the opening, and their respective unfastened positions so as to allow the cover to be removed from the opening.